From the Evening Rain
by Cathamaria
Summary: One-shot. AU. One late night near an Asturian outpost, a woman comes seeking shelter from the raging storm. Who is she? A lone traveller... or a wandering spirit? Allen can't seem to figure it out. Warning: PLOTLESS FANFIC.


**From the Evening Rain**

_Escaflowne; one-shot. Midnight rain brings a mysterious woman to the gates of an Asturian outpost. She cannot remember who she is or where she came from, but the blue-eyed knight admits there is something strangely familiar about her._

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, and I'll never own it, cuz no one would trust me not to manipulate the plot. In other words, esca doesn't belong to me.

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The heavy autumn rain fell as night descended over the evening, but within the lookout tower stood a Caelean knight, keeping watch over the most far-reached of Asturia's outposts. From the balcony, his blue eyes stared into the skies, watching the storm clouds gather ever more menacingly. As the soldiers inside the stronghold amused themselves with card games and liquor, he stood alone outside; his sword lay unsheathed on the table behind him, as if resting from its previous duel. Yet it was kept prepared for combat, for something in this knight's blood felt a coming. When a stray beam of light broke through the clouds, and the moon showed its face for not more than a moment, the knight's own face was revealed. On the battlements stood Allen Schezar of Asturia. He continued to stand alone, as if he were waiting.

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"Commander Schezar," came the rough-edged voice from the darkened stairwell. The storm had grown worse since the night was young, and the thunder drowned out much of what needed to be heard.

"What is it, Gadez?"

"There is a woman at the gates. She begs shelter from the storm this night." Again the lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating the lining of the clouds. Thunder echoed like the angered gods. The monstrous winds tore at the tree branches, snapping them as if they were merely dried twigs.

"Allow her in for the night," Allen replied. "Not a soul, living or dead, would be able to survive through such a furious storm."

"Yes sir." Gadez disappeared down the stairwell.

"Not a soul," Allen whispered again. Natal, his silver-white owl, cooed in response, perching beside its master. "Do you remember?" Allen whispered, as if asking the owl. "Do you remember the last time the storms ever grew so cold? So fierce? So violent?" Of course there was no answer, but the blue-eyed knight continued speaking. "It was four years ago, Natal. Four years ago and no more a day. It was when she died..." His voice faded and Natal made no noise, for he felt his master's pain. But no tears fell, for even if the grief still tore at the unhealed wounds of his heart, he would not live in the past. There was no time for the sorrow of memories. Gadez appeared in the doorway again.

"Sir, the woman wishes a word with the keeper of this outpost."

"Then I shall come."

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A strange atmosphere hung in the room that had been given to the weary traveller. She sat, still cloaked and wet, upon the divan, waiting to speak with the master of the stronghold. She didn't know why she had asked to meet him, but she had. She felt confused and lost, and yet at the same time, there were things she understood. She felt the sorrow of the room she was in. Somehow she knew, that years before, another woman kept this room as her own. Years before, there was an air of happiness that filled the entire castle. The traces of that woman's aura still lingered by the bed and by the windows. This place was foreign to her, and yet, there was something so familiar about it. Something she recognized... She removed the hood of her cloak and moved towards the window.

"I know this place," she whispered. "But I don't know who I am. Or where I'm from." There came a knock at the door. "Come in," she answered.

Gadez stepped into the room. "The keeper of this outpost," he said, as Allen entered the room. The blue-eyed knight nodded, and Gadez stepped out. "Shall I fetch the lady something to eat or drink?" The woman shook her head, still facing the window, and Gadez left.

"You wished to speak with me, madame?" Allen asked, and she turned around. The moon's light was once again creeping through the clouds, and through the window where the traveller stood. Her eyes were a brilliant azure, and somehow, they seemed so familiar. Allen was taken a back. Was she a water spirit who fell from the heavens? Was she real? The moonlight made her pale skin seem translucent, and somehow, the knight began to remember something... someone that once stood by that same window... and his heart tore. But before he could speak again, she answered him.

"I am sorry to have bothered you, sir. I wished to thank you for your kindness."

"No one should be out in such a storm."

"I have wandered alone through this wretched storm for quite some time. Perhaps you can tell me where I have ended up?" Allen could not seem to break away from her weighted azure gaze. She smiled, and Allen didn't know what was happening. He was within the castle, and yet at the same time, he was in another reality... somewhere distant and somewhere his memories lived on.

"Asturia's farthest outpost, milady," Allen answered. "I must wonder how you came to be here."

"I know not. I cannot remember anything."

"What is your name?"

"That I know not as well." She must be a fallen spirit, Allen thought as he smiled. He sat down on the divan as if he knew she was going to say something more.

"When I found myself at these castle gates, I could not remember anything. I've lost my identity, and I don't know where I am going. I didn't know why I came here... It's strange I don't even remember existing before this storm." Allen nodded, but inside the woman's heart, she'd long realized that what she said was a lie. She knew. After a few moments of silence, she spoke again, much softer. "This room, sir... Who lived here?"

Allen's head shot up, his gaze becoming defensive as he met her azure eyes. "Why do you ask, milady?" She walked over to the armoire, picking up a small music box and opening it. The simple instrument seemed to play a counter melody to the rhythm of the storm. Allen watched and waited for her answer.

"This room has such a sad feeling to it. Someone used to keep this room as her own... but now I see she is no longer here. The sorrow radiates from the emptiness."

The knight lowered his head and sighed quietly. "This sorrow has never faded." Again there was silence, as if the traveller was deep in thought.

"Did you love her?" Allen's head shot up at the question.

"What?"

"Did you love the woman who lived here?" Her eyes held a gentle curiosity, which made Allen wonder what wrong there would be in telling the stranger.

"She was a wonderful woman." The woman's azure eyes seemed to soften.

"If you loved her, where is she now?" Allen didn't answer, and she understood. "She died, didn't she?" The knight lowered his head, almost unable to bear the conversation. "That's why there's so much sorrow here. I can feel it."

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A raging storm turned the night into a battle of the sky gods; the rain fell so heavily that the leaves tore from the branches, and the trees fought to keep their roots in place. The blackness that descended was darker than that of Hades, and no creature dared to venture out from shelter... except for one.

Atop his stallion he rode, the blue-eyed night battling the storm to reach the Aisedel; to reach his outpost before the worst befell them all. The gates flew open at his arrival, and throwing off his cloak, he raced the spiral staircase to reach the room he feared would no longer be occupied by the living.

Gadez met him at the door, his head bowed and the soldiers, sitting along the dark corridor, sat in silence, not meeting the gaze of their commander. "She is no longer with us," one whispered, and Allen nodded in understanding.

"Open the door," he whispered, and Gadez did as asked. A damp atmosphere hung around him, void of life and without warmth. Aside from the thunder and pounding rain, no sounds blessed the room but his own breathing. Her breathing could no longer be heard. The storm raged onward as he approached her still figure lying on the bed. Her skin was pale, and when he touched her hand, it was as cold as death. Death.

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"She did not live through the night, did she?" Allen shook his head. "It must have been painful... being separated from the one you love."

"Tell me, lady, how you know all this, and yet you know not your own name?" The azure-eyed woman turned away from him and walked to the edge of the bed, where the lady of the castle had laid the night of her death. She knew more truths than she wished to reveal this moment. "The vision showed it to me... perhaps there is a reason I am here." Allen looked at her with scepticism.

"And no vision can tell you who you are?"

"If I have no purpose here, then what does it matter if I know who I am?" What strange thinking, Allen thought, but for some reason, it almost made sense.

"So that you can tell me who you are, and why you're bringing up a past that no one in this castle wishes to remember." The woman realized she'd awoken the knight's temper, and so she would lie no longer.

"Oh, but I do know who I am. The vision showed me that as well."

Allen became more confused. What a strange woman she was. Or much more, what a mischievous water spirit, trying to cause more darkness during the storm.

"Then tell me who you are, milady. Why are you here?" Her azure eyes flashed with an emotion unknown to the knight, whose temper was more than just beginning to flare. Her voice filled the air, but instead of answering his question, a haunting melody began to rise... a song that Allen had not heard in years.

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_"Open your eyes to the world and the darkness will disappear. The light points in the direction we all must travel. In this reality, life's path is always clear."_

The Caelean knight walked through the gardens, his boots rapping softly against the stone pathway. At the edge of a pond he stopped and looked across the water, to a pair of glowing azure eyes. Her voice filled the air like spring rain; she looked up and he smiled.

"Good evening, my lady."

_"Smile with the passing storms, and the clouds will vanish far beyond the horizons. Hearts are never broken and souls bear no weight of chains. In this reality, love is faith."_

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"Gently the winds blow, and the cherry blossoms float on spirit wings. This world no longer binds to the hopeless darkness. In this reality, all dreams come true." Allen sat in silence, his eyes wide; he could not understand what was happening, but all the same, he knew. "I can't tell you who I am," the woman whispered, "but perhaps you can tell me?" The knight did not speak, so she continued. "The visions lead me here for a purpose then. I knew everything from the beginning; it was you who did not remember what once passed between us. But now I realize that this castle is where I am supposed to stay." Her azure eyes shimmered, and a light-throated laugh escaped her lips. "I hope you don't mind my staying. This was, after all, my room to begin with."

Allen sat motionless and watched as the spirit faded into the wall. "I shall speak with you again, my knight," she said with a final smile. "Perhaps then you will know who I am." With that she disappeared.

"Princess Marlene," the blue-eyed knight whispered, and outside, the dark clouds parted to let pass the first light of dawn. Their souls had been reunited at last.

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_"Open your eyes to the world and the darkness will disappear. The light points in the direction we all must travel. In this reality, life's path is always clear."_

_"Smile with the passing storms, and the clouds will vanish far beyond the horizons. Hearts are never broken and souls bear no weight of chains. In this reality, love is faith."_

_"Gently the winds blow, and the cherry blossoms float on spirit wings. This world no longer binds to the hopeless darkness. In this reality, all dreams come true."_

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And the point of this was? ...yeah, I don't remember either... well, I haven't written esca fics in such a long time, I just needed to get used to using some of the characters again... actually, I never did post any of my old ones, did I? I think Allen and Marlene were my favourite star-crossed couple in the esca series, so i'll be writing a lot more of ASxMA fics! ...maybe I can find a way to sequel this... uh... or maybe not...

A special thanks I'm sending out to Kaliko Rose for an inspiring review! :) ARIGATOU!


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